Asian Studies

Are you interested in adding a global edge in your career after graduation? By incorporating Asian Studies into your undergraduate career, you will learn about how traditional cultures of across the Asian Continent and North Africa inform present-day decision-making. Based on individual interest, you can choose from over 75 courses on history, political science, religious studies, art history, music history, geography, and languages offered by the Asian Studies Faculty. Currently, NAU offers six interdisciplinary undergraduate academic plans, all of which incorporate optional foreign exchange programs. These include:

Asian Studies Minor (18 units)

Students may minor in Asian Studies by taking 18 units (6 courses) that must come from 3 disciplines (course prefixes). For info on the Asian Studies Minor contact Dr. Zsuzsanna Gulacsi.

Japanese, Chinese, or Arabic Language Minor (19 units)

Students may minor in one of the Asian and North African Languages offered by the Department of Global Languages & Cultures, by taking 16 units of language (101, 102, 201, 202) and 3 units of other courses (from 399, 497, study abroad credits; or Asian Studies courses focusing on Japan, China, or the Middle East). These languages currently include Japanese, Chinese, and Arabic. For info on the Japanese Language Minor contact Ms. Chie Okubo. For info on the Chinese Language Minor contact Dr. Xiaoyi Liu. For info on the Arabic Language Minor contact Ms. Mounia Mnouer.

Double Minor in Asian Studies and a Language (30-36 units)

Students may double minor by combining an Asian Studies minor (see above) with a minor in one of the 3 languages (see above). According to NAU graduation rules, 12 units must be unique to each minor, that is, 6 units can overlap. This means that, besides fulfilling the language minor, students need only 12 additional units (4 courses) chosen from the Asian Studies course list for a double minor. These 4 courses must come from at least 2 different disciplines (course prefixes).

ASN-GSEP Emphasis with a Language Minor (49 units)

This emphasis is linked to the Global Science and Engineering Program (GSEP) as a second major. It requires 16 units of an ASN language, 9 units of CCS, and 24 units of Asian Studies. For more info on the CCS major, contact Ms. Melissa J Armstrong.

ASN Emphasis with a Language Minor (51-60 units)

To gain the most extensive concentration in Asian and North African subjects, students may combine an Asian Studies Emphasis (see above) and a Language Minor in either Japanese, Chinese, or Arabic (see above). According to NAU graduation rules, 9 units (3 courses = 50% of coursework) must have a different prefix than the major; the other 9 units can overlap with the ASN emphasis. NAU has various foreign exchange programs in Asia and the North Africa, through which students may earn NAU credit. Contact the Center for International Education for more information on current options. Please check with your advisor or the current catalog for your degree requirements. The NAU academic catalog is the official, authoritative source for all academic requirements and policies. Any discrepancies in curricular requirements from other sources will default to the catalog as the official, authoritative source.

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